Senior Alyssa Stewart, varsity golfer, played in the Pure Insurance Championship tournament on Sept. 23 and 24. Stewart partnered with PGA golfer Justin Leonard and the duo took home the first-place trophy. The tournament took place on the Spyglass Hill Course and the Pebble Beach Golf Links of legendary Pebble Beach, California.

“[Pebble Beach] was surreal,” Stewart said. “This [tournament] probably is a better experience because of all the people I met and how nice and really supportive everybody was.”

Stewart was invited to the tournament through the First Tee organization. The tournament chose Stewart based on essays, GPA and volunteer activity among other factors. Stewart began golf 11 years ago and plans to continue at the collegiate level at Houston Christian University.

“Overall environment of [HCU] was just really nice,” Stewart said. “It’s a college where you know everybody, so I kind of wanted that feeling.”

At Legacy, Stewart leads the team on and off the course. Girls’ golf coach Scott Parlin has coached Alyssa since freshman year.

“She’s the best golfer I’ve ever had a chance to coach for sure,” Parlin said. “Her maturity from being a really good freshman to now being an even better senior on and off the course, just continues to get better. Without her, we wouldn’t be who we are.”

Stewart will play her fourth year of varsity golf this season but will participate in a local Texas Junior Golf Tour tournament beforehand.

“I honestly don’t feel like pressure,” Stewart said. “I’ve been doing it so long it doesn’t come to mind. I’m not gonna give up.”